[History of phrenology]

Hist Sci Med. 2011 Jul-Sep;45(3):249-56.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Gall & his supporters had intuition that brain was made up with functional areas but they did not correctly place them. This false science brought nothing to medicine but it left its mark on 19th century literature. However it contributed to introducing the notion of mitigating circumstances in the legal proceeding and set up basis of professional recruitment. It left plenty of technical gears: crane casting, china busts, phrenological penholders, knobs, craniological snuffboxes and a lot of geographic maps of the skull bumps.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Historical Article

MeSH terms

  • History, 19th Century
  • Humans
  • Phrenology / history*